WEUR
 | |
| Broadcast area | Chicago metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1490 kHz |
| Programming | |
| Format | Polish Language Talk and other ethnic programming |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WPNA-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | October 7, 1950[1] |
Former call signs | WEBS (cp)[2] WOPA (1950[2]-1984)[3] WBMX (1984-1987)[3] |
Call sign meaning | Polish National Alliance |
| Technical information[4] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 1093 |
| Class | C |
| Power | 1,000 watts unlimited |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°52′52″N 87°47′38″W / 41.88111°N 87.79389°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | WPNA Website |
WPNA (1490 AM) is a time-brokered radio station licensed to Oak Park, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Chicago area. The station is currently owned by Alliance Communications.[5]
Programming
The majority of the station's programming is Polish language news, talk, and sports.[6] They feature polka music on the weekends with the long running Eddie Blazonczyk Polka Show hosted by Tish Blazonczyk,[7]
WPNA is the home of the Hagerty Family Irish Program, the longest running Irish program in the United States.[6] This program has been on the station every Saturday morning since 1951.[8]
History
The station began broadcasting October 7, 1950.[1] The station's call sign was originally WEBS, but before going on the air the call sign was changed to WOPA to reflect the location of its studios.[2] The studios and antenna were in the former Oak Park Arms Hotel, now a retirement community.[2]
Pervis Spann began his radio career on WOPA in 1959.[9][10]
In 1984, the station's call sign was changed to WBMX.[3]
In 1987, the station was sold to the Polish National Alliance for $2 million, and its call sign was changed to WPNA.[11][3] WPNA was the home of the long-running Chet Gulinski Show, which featured polka music and was quite popular in Chicago's Eastern European communities.[12][13]
References
- ^ a b 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-66. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ^ a b c d History Cards for WPNA, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WPNA". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "WPNA Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- ^ a b "About Us", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ "Eddie Blazonczyk Polka Show", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ Curry, Cathy. "Chicago's First Family of Irish Radio", Irish American News, Chicago, May 2011. Retrieved on 23 October 2014.
- ^ "Pervis Spann", The Blues Foundation. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ Whiteis, David. "Not So Smooth Operator", Chicago Reader. January 18, 2001. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ "Changing Hands", Broadcasting. February 9, 1987. p. 118. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ "Chet Gulinski, Host of Radio Polka Show", Chicago Tribune. August 14, 1999. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ "WPNA AM 1490", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 25. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
External links
- WPNA Official Website
- Hagerty Family Irish Program Website
- International Polka Association Website
- Facility details for Facility ID WPNA ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's AM station database